​On 14 November 2020, the Colonel James Wood II Chapter of the Virginia SAR combined with the Wayside Inn, Middletown to conduct a Flag Retirement Ceremony.  These ceremonies honor the symbol of American freedom.  When a flag is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, it is to be destroyed in a dignified manner.  Over 40 flags were gathered from the community that were no longer serviceable.  These flags were burned with the proper respect due a symbol of all that was emblematic of a Nation of free men, devoted to the ideals and practice of freedom and democracy.  They were replaced in a never ending cycle of new flags proudly displayed to reflect the qualities that make our nation great.  The ceremony was conducted by Dale Corey with chaplain duties performed by Jim Simmons.  A color guard presented the colors led by Brett Osborn.  Included in the guard were Erick Moore, Marc Robinson, Chip Daniel, Marty Keesecker, Nathan Poe, Charles Harbaugh (Mayor of Middletown), Sean Carrigan, Clay Robinson, Allan Phillips, Eric Robinson and drummer Doug Hall.  Pictures are provided courtesy of Allan Phillips.  The first picture is the Color Guard consisting of Brett Osborn, Erick Moore, Marc Robinson, Chip Daniel, Marty Keesecker, Nathan Poe, Paul Christensen, Charles Harbaugh, Sean Carrigan, Clary Robinson, Allan Phillips and Eric Robinson.  The second picture is Clay Robinson, Doug Hall and Flag Detail Chip Daniel, Marc Robinson and Erick Moore.
 
Submitted by Dale Corey

​VASSAR Chancellor and Colonel George Waller Chapter compatriot Eric Monday has been appointed by the Virginia General Assembly to the Commission for the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. The purpose of the Commission is to plan, develop, and perform programs and activities to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, the Revolutionary War, and the independence of the United States. Compatriot Monday is one of 24 members, including legislators and representatives of several key historical organizations, and his term on this commission is set to expire along with the life of the Commission itself. His seat on the commission represents the Virginia Bar Association. 
 
Compatriot Monday provided the following quotes in speaking about this at last evening's Martinsville City Council Meeting. "It’s a pretty big deal for Virginia," he said. "This will literally mean hundreds of millions of dollars to the Commonwealth of Virginia". Virginia's efforts in this area will compliment a larger effort at the federal level to commemorate the 250th anniversary. 
 
Mr. Monday is the Martinsville City Attorney, Assistant City Manager, and is the Virginia Society Sons of the American Revolution State Chancellor. It is of obvious significance to the Virginia  Society and to the CGW Chapter for him to be serving on this commission. 
 
Submitted by Bob Vogler and Andy Doss - CGW Chapter
 

During the week of Veterans Day, the Colonel James Wood II Chapter of the Virginia Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) Color Guard participated in three (3) Veterans Day Ceremonies.  Veterans Day was originally known as Armistice Day.  It commemorated the veterans of World War I, for which an armistice end the fighting at 11:00, 11 November 1918.  In June of 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed to officially end the War to end all Wars.  In 1919, President Wilson proclaimed 11 November to be the first commemoration of the victory.  It was 4 June 1926 that Congress passed a concurrent resolution to officially recognize the end of the Great War.  On 13 May 1936 an act was passed to officially recognize 11 November as a national holiday known as Armistice Day.  In 1954, because of World War II and the Korean War, the name was changed to Veterans Day to honor veterans of all wars.  
 
On 10 November 2020, in coordination with the American Red Cross, VFW and AMVets, a private ceremony to honor veterans was held at National Cemetery, Winchester.  The SAR color bearers Marc Robinson, Allan Phillips and Sean Carrigan led veterans Ralph Hensley and Anthony Barns as they presented a wreath.  Charles Hunter played Taps to honor veterans of all wars.   On 11 November, the SAR Color Guard presented colors for Middletown during their 5th annual ceremony to honor veterans.  Due to inclement weather, it was conducted indoors at the Middletown Fire Station.  Ray Steele emcee'd with Rev. Clay Knick providing chaplain services.   SgtMaj Richard Van Norton, Jr. USMC (Ret.) was the guest speaker.  The Color Guard consisted of musket men Brett Osborn and Allan Phillips, flag bearers Marc Robinson, Erick Moore, Dennis Parmerter and Dale Corey with sentinels Paul Christensen, Eric Robinson and Sean Carrigan.  A wreath was presented by Mayor Charles Harbaugh, IV and SgtMaj Van Norton, followed by a three volley rifle salute by VFW Post 2123.  This was followed by Taps played by Andrew Paul.  On 12 November 2020, the Color Guard presented a ceremony to the Commonwealth Senior Living Facility in Front Royal.  Participating for the SAR were Dale Corey, Virginia SAR President Bill Schwetke, Marc Robinson, Dennis Parmerter, Doug Hall, Allan Phillips and Sean Carrigan.   The first photo is the CJWII Color Guard at National Cemetery.  Pictured from l. to r. Sean Carrigan, Allen Phillips, Kelly Ford, Dale Corey, Marc Robinson and Dennis Parmerter.  The second photo is the CJWII Color Guard at Middletown Fire Station.  Pictured from l. to r. Brett Osborn, Marc Robinson, Erick Moore, Dennis Parmerter, Dale Corey and Allan Phillips.  The third photo is the CJWII Color Guard at Commonwealth Senior Living Facility.  Pictured from l. to r.  Bill Schwetke, Marc Robinson, Dennis Parmerter, Doug Hall, Allan Phillips and Sean Carrigan.  Photos courtesy of Allan Phillips.
 
Submitted by Dale Corey

​Men and women of local patriotic organizations, the Williamsburg Chapter Sons of the American Revolution, the Williamsburg Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution, and the American Friends of Lafayette participated in an official commemoration of our national Veterans Day in a virtual presentation of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation on November 11, 2020.  It was remarked by George Washington, portrayed by Ron Carnegie, that we are a free people today because of the service of citizen soldiers, for which we as a nation are grateful and for which we thank them all.
 
Pictured, L to R, are veterans of six services of the United States of America – Paul Higgins (Navy), April Martinez (Navy), Robert Schmidt (Coast Guard), David Westenberger (Marine Corps), Jeffrey Wooldridge (Space Force), Celia Adolphi (Army), Eleanor Hunter (Air Force), Roger Cross (Army), and Reginald Beane (Air Force).  Beane, with Eleanor Hunter in the second picture, is a veteran of World War II having served in the Army Air Corps.  In the third picture are Celia Adolphi, Regent of the Wiiliamsburg Chapter DAR, and Roger Cross, President of the Williamsburg Chapter SAR.
 
Participating from the SAR were Schmidt, Westenberger, Wooldridge, Cross, and Beane.  Participating from the DAR were Martinez, Adolphi, and Hunter.  Participating from the AFL was Higgins.
 
Submitted by:  Harley Stewart
                      

The Williamsburg chapter, Sons of the American Revolution, presented a Flag Recognition certificate to Patricia and Joseph Segar on 8 November 2020.  The flag displayed was on board a combat aircraft during Iraqi Freedom.  Joseph is a US Navy retired Chief Petty Officer.  Pictured are left to right George Corbett, chapter  Chapter Flag Recognition committee chairman, Patricia and Joseph Segar.  Photo by Karen Corbett.

​On November 4, Paul Walden, Past President George Washington Chapter VASSAR and current President, Society of the War of 1812 in Virginia, presented a poster describing the service of five patriots of the American Revolution and two of the War of 1812 to the Local History and Special Collections Room in the Kate Waller Barrett Branch of the Alexandria Public Library.  This was the result of several discussions on placing a plaque memorializing these patriots on the library grounds; however we were unable to obtain permission to do so.  As a consolation, we offered to place a poster in the library memorializing these patriots in time for Veterans Day.  The Patriots of the American Revolution who were interred on the library grounds are  John Butcher, William Hartshorne, John Saunders, Benjamin Shreve, and perhaps the most famous, Dr. Elisha Dick, one of the attending physicians at General Washington’s death.  The War of 1812 patriots interred at the site are John Morgan and Thomas Smith.   In the photo, Paul Walden and Ms. Patricia Walker, Local History and Special Collections Branch Manager.  

​On 31 Oct 2020, the Colonel James Wood II Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) participated with the Ketoctin Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)  in a grave marking ceremony for Charles and Elizabeth "Betty" Lewis Carter.  The ceremony was held at the Carter Family Cemetery, North Hill Farm in Clarke County.  Kecia Brown, Regent of the Ketoctin Chapter presided over the ceremony with the SAR presenting the colors, firing a musket salute and playing taps to commemorate Charles and Betty as a son and daughter of American Revolutionary War Patriots.  Participating in the ceremony from the DAR were LeAnn Turbyfill, Virginia DAR State Regent, Margaret Stromberg, Virginia DAR District VIII Director, Sherryl Belinsky, Stonebridge Chapter Regent, Shawn Beyer, Cameron Parish Chapter and Sara Boppe, Fort Loudoun Chapter.  Betty Lewis Carter was the daughter of Fielding Lewis and Elizabeth "Betty" Washington.  Her Mother was the only sister of George Washington who lived to adulthood and married Fielding Lewis, a successful Fredericksburg merchant.  He owned and leased ships that traded with British Caribbean colonies and operated a family store.  Fielding and Betty Washington were successful merchants who provided material support to the colonists, including funding a gun manufactory in 1775.  Betty Lewis was born in 1765 and married Charles Carter in 1781.  Charles descended from a long line of Virginia gentry with roots back to the earliest settlements.  He died and was buried at Deerwood Plantation in Culpeper in 1827.  She died at her brother's home, Audley Farm, just to the west of North Hill on 9 April 1830 and was interred at the North Hill Family Cemetery.  Charles remains were moved to North Hill in the 1960s and is now buried next to his wife.  The SAR color guard was led by Chapter President and Commander Marc Robinson.  Participating were Virginia State SAR President William "Bill" Schwetke, Colonel William Grayson Chapter President Mike Weyler, and Culpeper Minutemen Chapter President Charles James.  Other compatriots included Virginia State Color Guard Commander Ken Bonner, Sean Carrigan, Paul Christensen, Dale Corey, Chip Daniel, Mike Dennis, Leamon Duncan, Art LaFlam, Brett Osborn, Nathan Poe, Will Reynolds, Clay Robinson and Jim Simmons.  There were six DAR and six SAR wreaths presented to commemorate the Carter's descendancy from Revolutionary War Patriots.  First picture are the flag bearers - Paul Christensen, Dale Corey, Leamon Duncan, Bill Schwetke, Charles Jameson, Mike Weyler and Nathan Poe.  Second picture is the musket squad preparing to fire a salute - Brett Osborn, Chip Daniel, Clay Robinson, Barry Schwoerer, Paul Christensen, Mike Dennis, Sean Carrigan, Allen Phillips, Art LaFlam and Ken Bonner.  These two pictures are courtesy of Linda Christensen.  Third photo is a composite of the CJWII Color Guard, courtesy of Cat Schwetke. Submitted by Dale Corey.

John Blair, Public Service Chair for the George Washington Chapter, presented the SAR Life Saving medal to Alexandria Sherriff Deputies Jason Bebow and Julio Ocasio.  On November 21, 2019, Deputy Jason Bebow and Deputy Julio Ocasio were working at the Adult Detention Center when their actions resulted in the rescue of an inmate. Deputy Bebow and Deputy Ocasio were on duty in the booking area and were on their way to handle pat down searches of inmates returning from court for the day. As they walked down a hall, the deputies, always vigilant, took care to look through the windows of the cells that they passed. Deputy Bebow, with Deputy Ocasio just behind him, was passing by a cell when he noticed that an inmate had strips of a torn wool blanket wrapped around his neck. Both deputies immediately entered the cell and removed the tightly wrapped blanket pieces from the inmate’s neck.

Deputy Ocasio called for medical personnel and a supervisor to respond to the cell. Before help arrived, the deputies laid the inmate on his mattress and because he did not respond to them, they began chest rubs. Soon the deputies noticed that the inmate’s chest was rising and falling, and they could feel a heartbeat. When the medical team arrived, they checked the inmate’s vital signs and further evaluated him. He was eventually placed in a safety smock for his own protection and he would receive appropriate medical and mental health services. It was evident to the deputies that this inmate had the means and intention of taking his own life. If not for the quick response and life saving measures demonstrated by both deputies, this incident could have had truly tragic results. 
 
Also, on October 28,  the SAR Life Saving Medal was awarded to Alexandria Deputy Sheriff Devon Neckles and Alexadria Police Officer Shakita Warren.  On October 11, 2019, Deputy Devon Neckles was assigned to serve civil paperwork for the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office and was on the street in his marked cruiser. A call was dispatched to Alexandria Police to “check on the welfare” of a resident who did not report to work as required. Officer Shakita Warren indicated that it would take her some time to get to the location, just off Richmond Highway, as she was coming from the West End so Deputy Neckles, who was nearby, volunteered to assist because he recognized the seriousness of the call and how far away Officer Warren was.  Being the first unit on the scene, Deputy Neckles contacted the individual, who appeared to be unnerved by the presence of a uniformed deputy. Drawing upon his skills and training as a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) member and instructor, Deputy Neckles began to use certain techniques to help guide his interaction with the individual, and after having the man step outside his apartment, he learned that the man was upset about losing his job. Officer Warren, also trained in CIT, arrived on the scene and began speaking with the man while Deputy Neckles followed up with the man’s former employer who had initiated the call.  All three then went inside the apartment so they could speak in private, and the man sat down on the couch. Officer Warren noticed a letter and the man told them it was a “goodbye” letter he had just finished. Deputy Neckles inquired how the man was planning to commit suicide and the man stated that he was going to shoot himself. He admitted that he would have done so if Deputy Neckles hadn’t arrived on the scene when he did.

Both the deputy and the officer learned that the man had two handguns and he told them where they could find them. Deputy Neckles went into an adjacent bedroom, found the loaded handguns, and emptied them for their safety and for safekeeping. 
They explained to the man that he would need to get help and he agreed to go voluntarily to Inova Alexandria Hospital for evaluation. He has since been cleared by mental health professionals and reunited with his family out of state.

Officer Warren later told Deputy Neckles’ supervisors that had he not arrived when he did and convinced the man to come out of his apartment, the outcome would have been very different. The man himself said that had Deputy Neckles arrived even moments later, they would have found his body. If not for Deputy Neckles’ initial alertness and proactive approach, and the quick response, crisis intervention training, and life saving measures by both Deputy Neckles and Officer Warren, this incident could have had a much different and tragic outcome.

Submitted by John Blair